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West Midlands Police said: "A report of this significance does present opportunities for learning and insight. We are very disappointed the IPCC did not seek to properly engage with us about this work to enable the force to share its approach on improving complaints procedures.

The report suggests the forces do not appear to have a good understanding of the communities they serve and we look forward to understanding how the IPCC have reached this conclusion."

An Independent Police Complaints Commission review has found significant failings in the way West Midlands Police handles complaints of discrimination.

The IPCC examined 202 completed cases to determine how West Midlands, along with Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire forces, deal with allegations in relation to any kind of discrimination including race, disability and age.

"We are constantly striving to improve our service to the public and will review the report in detail. We take complaints very seriously and do not tolerate discriminatory behaviour.

The report draws conclusions across three forces. Within this there are variations in practice. West Midlands Police has been recognised as demonstrating strong performance in monitoring complaints to identify complainants from minority communities.

There are however concerns over how our lower-level investigations are handled by our local policing units; and how we keep people informed about their complaints.

We will review carefully and work with the Police and Crime Commissioner, community members and our staff networks to look again at how we can improve our work. We are absolutely determined to deliver a fairer and transparent service."

An Independent Police Complaints Commission review has found significant failings in the way West Midlands Police handles complaints of discrimination.

The IPCC examined 202 completed cases to determine how West Midlands, along with Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire forces, deal with allegations in relation to any kind of discrimination including race, disability and age.

The report also found there was insufficient training in diversity, resulting in not well handled complaints.

An Independent Police Complaints Commission report has revealed that significant failings in the way three large metropolitan police forces handle complaints of discrimination.

The report found that there was insufficient training in diversity, and that this both results in complaints and means that they are not well handled.

IPCC Chair Dame Anne Owers said:

"Our findings are stark - generally complaints of discrimination made by members of the public are poorly handled from beginning to end – in relation to the way the complaint is investigated, the conclusions drawn and, importantly, the contact with the complainant.

It is vital that police forces deal effectively with allegations of discrimination. For particular sections of the community, likely to be more distrustful of the police, or more vulnerable - or both, they are litmus test of confidence in policing."

While this does not rule out the possibility of the MPS file having been leaked, it also raises other possibilities, either that someone who may have been connected to the investigation or in possession of material had a conversation with a reporter, or that the author/s of the articles were reporting speculatively – I note, for example, the references in both stories to “…it is understood that..."

While I fully understand your concerns about these press reports, it appears to me that the public interest is best served by ensuring that the MPS [Met Police] are indeed carrying out a robust and thorough investigation into the initial incident and its aftermath.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has launched an investigation into the contact between Warwickshire Police and a 44-year-old woman prior to the discovery of her body.

Warwickshire Police received an emergency call at 8.13 pm on the 24th October 2012, the call ended before the caller left any details. The police operator called the line back and spoke to two men and a woman who then said their location.

The next morning around 11.00 am, the police were called to the same address by the ambulance service who had found the woman's body in the house.

"The investigation is examining the actions and decisions of control room staff, supervisors and police officers and whether force procedures and policies were followed in relation to contact with the occupants of Briar Close on the evening of 24 October 2012.

"An investigator has made contact with the woman’s family to explain our role. My thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”